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That Old Black Magic
Synopsis The crew are visiting a commerce planet looking for supplies, including a cure for Rygel's flu. A merchant named Liko tells Zhaan he has what he needs, so she goes to speak to him. A jester looking man approaches Crichton saying he knows a lot of things about John Crichton – including that he's looking for a way back to Earth and he's being hunted by Peacekeepers. He says if he wants to meet Haloth, he should follow him. Crichton is intrigued, and is transported to a room by Haloth, who says he simply wished him here. Liko tells Zhaan that he's honoured by the presence of a Delvian Pa'u. Crichton asks Haloth what else he can do, but he says he can't send him home or even point him in the right direction, but he talks of Crais – the man who wants revenge. Haloth says he can let Crichton talk to Crais, and if he tells Crais face-to-face that his brother's death was an accident then Crais will be discerned. Crais receives a communiqué from Peacekeeper High Command, containing orders for him to cease pursuit of the escaped Leviathan, leave the Uncharted Territories and return to First Command for new orders. Crais tells Lieutenant Teeg that he may be able to bide time from High Command. Haloth appears and brings Crais to his chamber, where he shows him Crichton, and says Crais can have him at a price. D'Argo and Aeryn find Crichton unconscious, and she tells him to get Zhaan. Haloth tells Crichton that he has bad news, transforms into Maldis, and brings Crais to him. D'Argo has found a girl who saw Crichton with someone, and Liko knows that it was Maldis. Crais tells Crichton he's here to kill him, and gets a skewer to fight him with. Crais manages to graze his hand, and in reality Zhaan finds Crichton with a new graze on his hand. Liko says Maldis is an evil sorcerer that feeds off pain and death; he taps in to others' life energy. He invaded this planet and killed half its population, subjugating the rest. He says Maldis is invincible, and before Maldis came he was a High Priest, but his powers weren't strong enough to defeat him. Even from afar he can rip your soul out. Zhaan asks him to guide her to use abilities to hurt Maldis. He says to do so she must have the intent to hurt him, maybe even kill him. She says it is possible. Maldis tells Crichton that Crais offered him bigger stakes than Crichton could, now Crais is here so he must deal with him. Crais attacks him, but he says he didn't murder his brother. He turns the attack round on him, and has Crais where he could kill him, but insists it was an accident. Zhaan forces herself to hurt a beast, but she can't finish it off. She says she's evolved past the hatred to hurt others. Liko says she merely suppressed the feelings, and she's just scared of them. She says the thought that she can destroy Maldis terrifies her. Crichton explains to Crais what really happened, and he says Crais knows his pod is inferior to a prowler. Crais says he charged it, but he says that's not the truth. Maldis appears and shows Crais his father, who calls Bialar and Tauvo to him, because the "recruiter" is here to pick them up. He tells Bialar to stay close to Tauvo and protect him. Bialar promises to, before the Peacekeepers take him away. Crichton realises that Crais and his brother were shanghaied from their home, but Crais still insists they were chosen for Peacekeeper duty. Another memory shows Tauvo saying that it's an honour for him to serve with his brother. Crichton wants Maldis to stop this, but he shows Tauvo dead and blames Crichton for it. This fuels Crais' desire to kill him, and the chase is back on. Zhaan tells Aeryn and D'Argo that she can stop Maldis, but she desires another option even though she knows there isn't one. She is distraught that she will have to use her evil to destroy another evil, but she knows she has no other choice, so she leaves to start. Crichton meanwhile tells Crais that Maldis is feeding off them, that he thrives of Crais desire for his death. Crichton asks him to listen, and says he understands that Crais is torturing himself because he should have protected Tauvo, but it was an accident. Crais says it doesn't matter, that Tauvo must be avenged, and swears Crichton will die in his hands. Maldis admits he feeds off the life force of others, and death is like the main course. Zhaan apologises to Liko, and when Rygel complains over the comm. about his remedy, they join and cause Rygel pain together. Zhaan says that part of her enjoyed it. Crichton is still trying to reason with Crais, saying he won't be satisfied if Maldis kills him, and suggests a truce, and that they work together. Crais pretends to agree, but then attack him again. Rygel performs the Hynerian Ceremony of Passage on Crichton's body, and declares him dead, claiming his possessions. Maldis is getting low on energy, and tries to get Crichton to kill Crais, saying if he does he'll let Crichton go. He says he agrees, he's done talking to Crais and will kill him. Maldis leads Crais to Crichton, and they begin to fight. Zhaan and Liko start their ritual, but as Crichton holds Crais ready for the kill, Maldis sends him back to his Carrier. He says he finally got Crichton to do what he wanted; the carrier will bring carnage on a massive scale. He wanted Crais to continue his pursuit until the Carrier is within reach, because he was considering turning back but now he won't. Maldis goes to kill Crichton, but Zhaan appears to stop the magic, saying she made him tangible, and Crichton punches him to dust. Crichton wakes up on Moya, with Rygel, who says he saved his life. Crichton kisses him out of happiness to be back. Liko is dying from helping Zhaan, but before he passes he thanks her for helping the greater good. Crais tells his doctor that he wants no more scans, and to omit this incident from his logs. He asks Teeg if they had any other communication with High Command, and when she says no he kills her, and orders them to go deeper in to the Uncharted Territories. Zhaan tells the crew that she merely dispersed Maldis, and he will be back together someday. Aeryn apologises for mocking her courage and she says Zhaan's more of a warrior than she ever thought. This disturbs Zhaan, and she hastily leaves. Aeryn asks D'Argo what's wrong with her, and he says she called her a warrior – she could not have cut her more deeply. Crichton makes a recording for DK, saying he though he could convince Crais of the truth if they spoke face-to-face, but now he doesn't think Crais will stop until one of them dies. Zhaan tells Crichton that before she became a priest she was a savage, and he's never seen that part of her before, she thought she'd never have to resurrect it again. He says that she did so once to defeat Maldis, but she can once again suppress it. She says she doesn't think she can, and in a disturbing tone tells him none of them can help her... Trivia *This episode has the first mention of "Karen Shaw", the girl to whom Crichton lost his virginity at age 16. *Virginia Hey counts this episode among her favorites. Quotes Sources Category:EpisodesCategory:Season 1Category:Season 1 Episodes